This invention relates generally to washing machines, and, more particularly, to methods and apparatus for reducing water consumption in washing machine wash cycles.
Washing machines typically include a cabinet that houses an outer tub for containing wash and rinse water, a perforated clothes basket within the tub, and an agitator within the basket. A drive and motor assembly is mounted underneath the stationary outer tub to rotate the clothes basket and the agitator relative to one another, and a pump assembly pumps water from the tub to a drain to execute a wash cycle. See, for example, U.S. Pat. No. 6,029,298.
In large load capacity washing machines the wash cycles include a deep-fill process wherein articles in the clothes basket are completely submerged in a wash liquid formed from water and a detergent, and the wash liquid is agitated. As such, a large amount of wash liquid is used to wet and clean the clothes. It has become increasingly desirable to reduce water consumption in washing operations. However, decreased water consumption decreases the level of the wash liquid in the machine and does not permit large loads to be properly wetted nor properly agitated during the wash cycle.